Organizations Unite In Commitment To Reduce Latino Teen Pregnancy

Washington, DC — Today, Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) endorsed the National Consensus Statement on Latino Teen Pregnancy Prevention along with 20 other leading sexual and reproductive health organizations and Latino advocacy and youth groups. Latinas face the highest teen pregnancy rate among ethnic groups in the United States, with 52 percent of Latina teens becoming pregnant at least once before age 20. The consensus statement calls for giving young women and men the tools and education to help them make informed decisions about their sexual lives.

“To invest in the future of the United States, we must invest in young Latino women and men. We must provide them with the knowledge and skills they need to make responsible decisions, and we must ensure that they have access to birth control so they can plan their families as well as pursue higher education, their careers, and other aspirations,” said PPFA Director of Latino Engagement Destiny Lopez

The National Council of La Raza’s Institute for Hispanic Health and the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy led the effort and released the statement today in a joint press conference in the nation’s capital.

The National Consensus Statement proposes several action steps to address the issue, including support for Latino families and communities to create a safe environment for communicating about teen pregnancy and sexual and reproductive health; sexual health information for young women and men so they are able to avoid risky sexual behavior that can lead to teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections; and enhanced sex education that includes discussions about healthy relationships and the impact that unintended pregnancy has on teens, their families and their communities.

Other signatories of the statement include Advocates for Youth, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, among many others. For more information on the consensus statement, visitwww.nclr.org and www.thenationalcampaign.orgnclr.org.

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